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The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

City Life

30/12/2018

Careem & Halan: Everything You Need to Know About the Capital’s Tuk-Tuk War

written by

Sherif Khairy

Is it a motorcycle, is it a car? No! It’s a tuk-tuk! This mini vehicle that fits somewhere between a motorcycle and a small car has infested Cairo streets over the past years with its ease in driving, its high ability to manoeuvre through tight corners, and its very affordable price. Though it has been battled and scrutinised by many government officials and citizens, it seems that they are here to stay, so for the time being, why not regulate their use?

This is precisely the concept that Careem used in adding their latest feature. It’s not a new concept for Careem as they have launched such a service in particular resorts in the North Coast in the summer. What’s new here is that Careem is launching a pilot run of this feature in areas of Cairo and Giza.

While this may come as a surprise to some, it actually fits very well with Careem’s concept of expanding to include more and more areas, as well as make use of all possible types of vehicles. In addition to cars, Careem has also launched a water taxi service and was one of the pioneering companies in featuring a motorcycle option in their app. Recently, Careem has also launched their bus service, so adding this tuk-tuk feature is not uncharacteristic of their business model.

Perhaps what prompted an acceleration in launching this feature is Egypt’s newest ride-sharing app, Halan. This up and coming app is the first of its kind, and it is currently operating in Egypt and Sudan. Whether you’re looking for a ride by tuk-tuk, motorcycle, or even a tricycle to deliver some goods, Halan has you covered.

It will be interesting to see how these two apps go head to head, with Halan being a small startup, while Careem has a firm position as a multinational conglomerate. We also can’t wait to see Uber’s reaction to all of this, and maybe we’re ready to witness a civilised tuk-tuk civil war in the heart of Cairo. After all, who benefits from such competition more than us, the users?